Patentable/Patents/US-10562625
US-10562625

Drone device

PublishedFebruary 18, 2020
Assigneenot available in USPTO data we have
Inventorsnot available in USPTO data we have
Technical Abstract

A fact checking system utilizes social networking information and analyzes and determines the factual accuracy of information and/or characterizes the information by comparing the information with source information. The social networking fact checking system automatically monitors information, processes the information, fact checks the information and/or provides a status of the information, including automatically modifying a web page to include the fact check results. The fact checking system is able to be implemented utilizing a drone device.

Patent Claims
20 claims

Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.

1

1. An aerial drone device comprising: a device body configured to transition from a folded configuration to an unfolded configuration and from the unfolded configuration to the folded configuration, wherein the device body includes components capable of folding such that the aerial drone device has a smaller storage footprint when in the folded configuration than when in the unfolded configuration, wherein the aerial drone device is configured to fly in the unfolded configuration, wherein while in the folded configuration the aerial drone device looks like another object; at least one motor coupled to the device body; at least one propeller coupled to the at least one motor; at least one camera coupled to the device body, wherein the at least one camera is configured to acquire content; a plurality of information acquisition components coupled to the device body, wherein a first information acquisition component of the plurality of information acquisition components is positioned in an opposite direction of a second information acquisition component of the plurality of information acquisition components, wherein the plurality of information acquisition components are configured to acquire external information; at least one power supply configured to provide power to the at least one motor, the at least one camera, and the plurality of information acquisition components; a memory configured to store an application, the application configured to: process the content acquired by the at least one camera and the external information acquired by the plurality of information acquisition components; acquire depth information using the at least one camera, the plurality of information acquisition components, or any combination thereof; direct the aerial drone device to navigate based on the content from the at least one camera, the external information from the plurality of information acquisition components, or any combination thereof, including avoiding at least one obstacle; and track at least one object; generate a depth map using the depth information, wherein the depth map is used to track the at least one object; predict a trajectory of the at least one object; and track the at least one object based on the predicted trajectory when a view of the at least one object is obstructed; and a processor configured to process the application, wherein the aerial drone device is configured to automatically re-position itself to avoid an obstruction by generating the depth map and utilizing an obstruction threshold, wherein generating the depth map includes using an object size calculation analysis, wherein when an amount of obstruction is above the obstruction threshold, the aerial drone device moves to reduce the amount of obstruction, wherein the aerial drone device continues to re-position itself to find a lowest amount of obstruction.

2

2. The aerial drone device of claim 1 wherein the plurality of information acquisition components comprise a plurality of sensors.

3

3. The aerial drone device of claim 1 wherein the plurality of information acquisition components comprise a plurality of cameras.

4

4. The aerial drone device of claim 1 wherein the application is further configured to detect a plurality of objects simultaneously.

5

5. The aerial drone device of claim 1 further comprising a global positioning system device configured to determine a location of the aerial drone device.

6

6. The aerial drone device of claim 1 wherein the application is further configured to direct the aerial drone device to navigate so that the aerial drone device orbits an object.

7

7. The aerial drone device of claim 1 wherein the application is further configured to direct the aerial drone device to change altitude when tracking the at least one object.

8

8. The aerial drone device of claim 1 wherein the application includes an invisible route for the aerial drone device to follow.

9

9. The aerial drone device of claim 1 wherein the application accesses “do not fly” zone information to avoid flying in a “do not fly” zone.

10

10. The aerial drone device of claim 1 wherein the aerial drone device is configured to stay within a zone.

11

11. The aerial drone device of claim 1 further comprising a motion sensor configured to trigger to activate the aerial drone device.

12

12. The aerial drone device of claim 1 wherein the application is further configured to synchronize the content with an external device.

13

13. The aerial drone device of claim 1 further comprising a component configured to detect a flying vehicle.

14

14. The aerial drone device of claim 1 further comprising a thermal sensor configured to detect heat, and a sound sensor configured to detect sound.

15

15. The aerial drone device of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of interchangeable lenses for the at least one camera.

16

16. The aerial drone device of claim 1 further comprising a storage mechanism configured to hold an item.

17

17. A system comprising: a controller device; and an aerial drone device configured to acquire content and communicate with the controller device, wherein the aerial drone device includes a body configured to transition from a folded configuration to an unfolded configuration and from the unfolded configuration to the folded configuration, wherein the body includes components capable of folding such that the aerial drone device has a smaller storage footprint when in the folded configuration than when in the unfolded configuration, wherein the aerial drone device is configured to fly in the unfolded configuration, wherein while in the folded configuration the aerial drone device looks like another object, wherein the body is further configured to secure at least one power supply, the at least one power supply configured to supply power to: at least one motor configured to cause at least one propeller to move, at least one camera, wherein the at least one camera is configured to acquire the content, and a plurality of information acquisition components, wherein a first information acquisition component of the plurality of information acquisition components is positioned in a first direction, and a second information acquisition component of the plurality of information acquisition components is positioned in a second direction, wherein the plurality of information acquisition components are configured to acquire external information, wherein the aerial drone device is further configured to: process the content acquired by the at least one camera, the external information acquired by the plurality of information acquisition components, or any combination thereof; acquire depth information using the at least one camera, the plurality of information acquisition components, or any combination thereof; navigate based on the content from the at least one camera, the external information from the plurality of information acquisition components, or any combination thereof, including avoiding at least one obstacle; track at least one object using the depth information; generate a depth map using the depth information, wherein the depth map is used to track the at least one object; predict a trajectory of the at least one object; and track the at least one object based on the predicted trajectory when a view of the at least one object is obstructed, wherein the aerial drone device is configured to automatically re-position itself to avoid an obstruction by generating the depth map and utilizing an obstruction threshold, wherein generating the depth map includes using an object size calculation analysis, wherein when an amount of obstruction is above the obstruction threshold, the aerial drone device moves to reduce the amount of obstruction, wherein the aerial drone device continues to re-position itself to find a lowest amount of obstruction.

18

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the aerial drone device is further configured to share the content via a social network.

19

19. The system of claim 17 further comprising a device configured for viewing augmented reality content, virtual reality content or any combination thereof based on the content acquired using the camera.

20

20. A method comprising: acquiring content with at least one camera of an aerial drone device; acquiring external information with a plurality of information acquisition components of the aerial drone device, wherein a first information acquisition component of the plurality of information acquisition components is positioned in an opposite direction of a second information acquisition component of the plurality of information acquisition components; processing the content acquired by the at least one camera, the external information acquired by the plurality of information acquisition components, or any combination thereof; determining depth information based on the content acquired by the at least one camera, the external information acquired by the plurality of information acquisition components, or any combination thereof; navigating the aerial drone device based on the content acquired by the at least one camera, the external information acquired by the plurality of information acquisition components, or any combination thereof, wherein navigating includes tracking at least one object and avoiding at least one obstacle, further wherein navigating includes utilizing at least one motor configured to cause at least one propeller to move; generating a depth map using the depth information, wherein the depth map is used to track the at least one object; predicting a trajectory of the at least one object; tracking the at least one object based on the predicted trajectory when a view of the at least one object is obstructed; automatically re-positioning the aerial drone device to avoid an obstruction by generating the depth map and utilizing an obstruction threshold, wherein generating the depth map includes using an object size calculation analysis, wherein when an amount of obstruction is above the obstruction threshold, the aerial drone device moves to reduce the amount of obstruction, wherein the aerial drone device continues to re-position itself to find a lowest amount of obstruction; and transitioning from a folded configuration to an unfolded configuration and from the unfolded configuration to the folded configuration, wherein the aerial drone device includes components capable of folding such that the aerial drone device has a smaller storage footprint when in the folded configuration than when in the unfolded configuration, wherein the aerial drone device is configured to fly in the unfolded configuration, wherein while in the folded configuration the aerial drone device looks like another object.

Classification Codes (CPC)

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Patent Metadata

Filing Date

April 2, 2019

Publication Date

February 18, 2020

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Cite as: Patentable. “Drone device” (US-10562625). https://patentable.app/patents/US-10562625

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